The claimed invention relates to processing systems, in particular to conveyors used to transfer containers among one or more operative stations.
The conveyor is intended for e.g. sleeve containers, that, in subsequent stations, are closed at bottom, filled, marked with series numbers and then closed at top. The containers are lastly brought away (unloaded) from the conveyors.
Conveyors have heretofore been provided, which are formed by an endless belt, whose outer surface is provided with a plurality of equispaced boxes, each of which is defined by two walls fastened crosswise to belt.
When the size is to be changed, it is necessary to adjust the reciprocal distance between the walls, or, in some cases, substitute these walls with other walls of the right size.
Other conveyors have heretofore been provided, which are formed by a group of e.g. four endless chains, arranged side by side and lying on vertical planes.
These chains feature equispaced prongs fastened to their outer surface.
Two prongs of two chains form an abutment for the front wall of the container, which is pushed by two prongs of other two chains, against which the rear wall of this container abuts with suitable pressure.
Consequently, the container remains closed between the two pairs of prongs, front and rear, respectively.
When the container size is to be changed, it is necessary to adjust the timing between the driving wheels of the chains operating the front and rear pairs of prongs.
Still another type of a conveyor has been provided, in which each container is situated between the upper run of a first conveyor and a lower run, parallel thereto, of a second conveyor situated thereabove.
The containers are guided and pushed by adjustable abutment plates of these two conveyors.
When the container size is to be changed, it is necessary to change the mutual distance between the abutment plates of the lower conveyor in relation to the mutual distance between the abutment plates of the upper conveyor.
In the above mentioned conveyors, when the container size is to be changed, it is necessary to keep the machine on stand-by, so as to allow the specialized operators to perform required adjustments.
According to some more elaborate solutions, these adjustments are carried out automatically, yet this results in the necessity of suitable actuators controlled by a programmed control unit, which increases the conveyor production costs.
Moreover, these known conveyors are obviously complex.
The main object of the present invention is to propose a conveyor with a structure such that it can be used for a great number of container sizes without any adjustments or substitutions of parts and/or devices.
Another object of the present invention is to propose a conveyor that fulfills the above mentioned object, and whose working speed does not slow down the productivity of the stations and/or machines connected thereto.
Still another object of the present invention is to propose a conveyor which combines known techniques with simple devices.
The objects of the present invention become evident from the contents of the claims, in particular of the first claim, wherein there is claimed a conveyor for transporting containers through operative stations, in particular from a station, in which said containers are fed to the conveyor, to a station, in which said containers are downloaded from the conveyor, said conveyor including an endless belt mounted on relative wheels, a driving wheel and a driven wheel respectively, and moving in a forward direction, said conveyor being characterized in that it includes:
a series of equispaced recesses which are made on an outer surface of said belt, whit each said recess set in communication with a vacuum source when they are located in the upper run of the conveyor, so as to grip a base of a container located thereon;
a series of pads, with one of said pads provided for each recess and hinged with a lower part to the outer surface of the belt right behind the respective recess, with reference to said forward direction of the conveyor;
a series of connecting rods, each of said rods being pivoted at the top to a corresponding pad of said series of pads and at the bottom to the outer surface of the belt, behind said pad with reference to said forward direction, with each connecting rod having a length allowing to maintain said pad perpendicular to the belt when said pad and connecting rod are situated in the upper run, for receiving in abutment and pushing a rear wall of said container, said connecting rod having a length also allowing to set said pad in a rearward position with respect to the plane perpendicular to the belt and passing through the lower articulation point of said pad, with reference to said forward direction, when said pad and connecting rod are situated in the region of the belt which engages said driving and driven wheels.